A Misled Confession
by AshyyBaby
Summary: The first chapter of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series. The entire series with all the chaptersn can be found under the name of "Yes It's Love"


The day was hot, which I should've expected living in the Fire Nation. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck, even as I loitered in the shadows of the school building that Aang was attending. I decided that it would be a fun surprise to escort Aang home, not to mention a good excuse for a little alone time with him. Okay, yes, I admit it, I have a crush on the Avatar, but is that so wrong? ...Don't answer that. I mean, yeah, he's an all powerful being that is the world's last hope of survival and I am a simple watertribe peasent but...okay, the argument is clearly out of my favor. I sighed slowly. Wiping my hand across my forehead, I let my gaze drift over to the sun dial across the lot. 2:57. It was almost time. Another three minutes.

As I leaned my back against the stone walls of the school, I let my ears tune in to the class just inside. The words of the teacher speaking were hushed from the thick exterior of the building so I shifted myself, my ear firmly pressed to the stone's surface.

"Now class," came the muffled voice of a female teacher. "moving on to the Fire Nation's conquering of the Earth Kingdom. We will begin with the earth city of BaSingSe." I moved more toward the window at the side of the wall. Peering through, I let myself gasp softly. The class was _Aang's_ history class with Mrs. Kwan. I remember him saying something about her to me, Sokka, and Toph in the cave one night. She wasn't the cheeriest person around, apparently. I crouched down, just so my eyes were above the seal of the window and I watched and listened through the glass.  
"Pop quiz," she went on. "What year did General Iroh call off the invasion of the city, retreating like a coward?"

Though Iroh was an enemy to us for so long, the way Kwan was speaking about him made me feel a little...angry. It was so harsh, so cruel. Suddenly, a student's arm was raised. An arm that belonged to a boy with a headband and dark, shaggy hair. Aang.

"Kuzon?" said the woman, a ruler in her hand, gripping it's edge.

Aang - Kuzon - slowly stood. "Ma'am," he began slowly, "If General Iroh called off an entire invasion, it must've been for a good reason. Why does everyone talk so badly about his choice?"  
I couldn't believe Aang was being so bold. It made my heart race for I knew he could get in big trouble, but I'm so glad he was defending the man. But, by the way Mrs. Kwan's brow furrowed, I could tell she didn't feel the same way.

"It was dishonorable, a disgrace," she replied in a cold hiss. "He was a failure."

"That's not fair!" retaliated Aang. I could see his fists beginning to curl. I could understand why he was so touchy on this. Iroh had helped us a lot back in BaSingSe and was considered a traitor for it.

"Was it _fair_ for Iroh to retreat like a coward and let the Earth Kingdom stand, only adding on to the stress of our Fire Lord? Was it _fair_ for him to help the Avatar and betray his own home land. his neice, nephew, and brother? Iroh had his head up in the clouds and is a sorry excuse for a firebender."

I saw Aang's shoulders raise as he was about to state -- more like shout -- his reply when the final bell rang out through the school and the students began to flood out into the lot outside. I moved quickly from the window, my heart thundering in my chest as I approached the front doors of the building. Boys and girls all dressed alike surrounded me. A sea of firebenders, something I hated, but I had to adapt to. I had seen all these kids before, they came to our home in the cave for a dance party that 'Kuzon' had set up, so as I pushed through the crowd, several people piped up with a "Hey!" or "Hi!" which I just waved off. Then, there he was. Taller than yesterday, his hair a little longer as well. Aang grew so quickly before my eyes that I knew I wouldn't be able to recognize him soon. No, I'd always be able to recognize him. Especially those eyes. The ones comprable to the smokey sky or shadows beneath the clouds. They were hypnotic, to me anyways. And, deep inside, I always hoped that when he felt my lips press to his cheek or when he received my usual hugs, that he got the same butterflies I did.

It wasn't until a minute or so had passed that I realized I had stopped and was staring in the disguised Avatar's direction. I was about to raise up my hand and call out to him when a girl grabbed him by the shoulder. Aang turned facing a girl with short brown hair and big brown eyes. Her smile was soft and toothy. I remembered her from the night of the dance party. She was the first one to dance with Aang. I didn't recall her name, but what I _did_ remember was the pang of jealousy that bubbled up in my stomach when their hands met and they began to dance.

"Hey, Kuzon, I thought it was really great of you to stick up for General Iroh like that. It was really brave," she said, linking her hands in front of her, a pink tinting her fair cheeks.

Aang's arm rose up as he scratched the back of his head, his fingers playing in his short hair, a sheepish grin on his lips. "Oh, thanks, On Ji, it was nothin'."

On Ji! So that was her name! I moved a bit closer, my feet feeling heavy, a tight knot in my throat as their voices became more clear.

"I, uhm -- I just wanted -- uhm," she stuttered, scooting closer slightly, her toes touching his. Aang seemed oblivious.

"What is it?" he asked blankly, curiousity in each blink of his eye.

"I -- uhh -- just wanted..to..give you -- uhm -- this." And just as quickly as it took my heart to stop and lodge itself in my throat, On Ji lunged forward,her lips connecting with Aang's. Slowly, everything became blurred. Hot, salty tears tumbled down my cheeks, leaving red streaks over the chestnut coloring. My breathing was ragged, coming in blubbering gasps. I couldn't do anything besides gape at the two, my eyes focused on their connected lips, making more and more tears flow like rivers from the lids of my eyes.

Aang's eyes were wide, shock striken. He abruptly pulled away, backing away with his hands up, as if he surrendered, shaking his head side to side. "Woah, On Ji, I --" he trailed off for he had taken sight of me. "Katara!" he cried, seeming rather horrified to find me standing there. I wish he hoped that I hadn't just seen what went on; heck _I_ wish that I hadn't just seen what went on.  
I couldn't speak. I didn't want him to look at me, see me crying, but I didn't want to look at him either. I just turned on the heel of my shoe and ran away, letting my tears pour down.

I don't know how far I ran but I just kept moving until my legs wouldn't push me any further. With soft sniffles and sighs I caught my breath, standing out on a cliff's ridged edge that stood over the choppy ocean. The wind had dragged dark, lumpy clouds into the pale blue sky over head. My hair whipped against my cheeks so I tucked it behind my ear, only to have it flutter back out in front of me. My bare belly was chilly so close to the water and kissed by the wind, goosebumps covering my arms, but my back was blanketed by my thick, dark hair that has become exceptionally long. The remaining tears that brimmed my lids I blinked away, letting them roll slowly down until I wiped them away and sniffed a final time.

As I stared out into the foggy distance, letting my mind hover on his face, on his warmth; his laugh, his smile, him, I swear, I could almost hear his voice just behind me.

"Katara?"

I looked up for I felt something curl around my palm. I whirled around and found myself nose to nose with the Avatar. "What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice as steady as possible. My words kept coming in shrill squeaks; it was embarassing.

"Why did you run away?" he asked, squeezing my hand in his. He was trying to force his fingers through mine and it took all my strength to resist. After a moment, he gave up.

"Why did you kiss her?" I hissed in reply, new tears springing up in my eyes.

"I didn't kiss her!" he exclaimed. "She kissed me! Please, Katara! You've got to believe me!" My eyes drifted to his. They were pleading, just as his voice was.

"You're serious, aren't you?" I breathed, my voice just above whisper. I couldn't muster it any louder, I felt so lost, so confused, but things slowly began to clear, by and by.

"Of course I'm serious! I would never want to hurt you! I care about you too much for that!"

My eyes fluttered wide a moment. "Y-you do?" I stammered.

Aang's cheeks became noticably red, his eyes shifting away a moment. "Yes. I've always cared about you, ever since the day you've saved me from the iceburg. I would do anything to keep you safe, to see you smile. I would _die_ for you Katara. A-and the truth is..." as he paused, his head slowly turning so his eyes were locked with me, I held my breath, waiting.

_Just say it! _My mind commanded, my hand slowly finding a grip around his, nervous to the bone. _Please...Just say --_

"I love you."

Was I dreaming? Was this all for real?. He actually said it. I felt like I had died. My knees felt weak and I was falling.

"Katara!" he squeaked, catching me and holding me close to him, staring down with worried eyes. "Wake up, Katara! Say something!"

Yeah, I could've just replied and told him my feelings right then, but I know that wouldn't have been enough. I took his head by the temples and pulled his face to mine, kissing his lips lovingly. When we parted, my cheeks were blazing, but so were his.

"K-katara?" he whispered.

"I love you too," I replied.

A bright smile crossed his features as he eagerly kissed me again.

It was like a fairytale. It was so perfect, maybe a tad cliche, but I wouldn't have wished it for any other way. It was Aang and it was me, and that's all that mattered.


End file.
